30 Songs: Ash and Misty
by SpiritLeTitan
Summary: 30 one-shots of AAML, both sad and fluffy, even some mature ones! These are written to a list of song lyrics, and the song isn't revealed until the end of the story! No. 7 preview: "On Your Knees, Begging Please, Stay with Me"
1. A Year Without Rain

_**A Year Without Rain**_

It's been too long since I last saw him. I stopped counting the days ages ago, yet it still hurts like he just left.

I can't stop thinking about him, they're unrelenting… I wonder if he can hear them? I'm sure that would make for an awkward confrontation. But I can't help it, he's just always on my mind, and I wonder if I even cross his. I often doubt it, since I know he's so busy all the time.

With a sigh, I run my fingers over the letter I received from him today. He writes when he can, often month-long gaps between letters sent. I always reply right away. The contents are the same as ever: stories of his journey, simple catching up. I try and refrain from spilling my heart into the letters, and go along with the small talk.

"Geez, like, this is the dullest love letter I've ever read," I hear a familiar voice say from my doorway. I spin around from my desk to give Daisy an irritated glare; she has my unsent reply to Ash in her hands.

"Daisy, it's illegal to open other people's mail," I tell her through clenched teeth, walking up to snatch the letter from her grasp.

"Is this always what you guys talk about?" she inquires, inviting herself into my bedroom. "It's so lame. How do you expect to let him know you love him if you don't just say it?" I blush at how casually she says this.

"Because, I don't want to tell him…" My words trail off, giving away any credibility of the statement. I catch my sister rolling her eyes.

"Puh-leez, that is such a lie. Every time I see you two together, you can barely contain yourself. Just tell him, sis!"

Reluctant, I sit on the edge of my bed and think. She has a point, but as soon as I let myself get hopeful, that familiar wave of doubt comes and crushes my thoughts. Even if I told him in a letter, it wouldn't be the same as telling him to his face… And what's worse, he might even go on as if nothing ever happened. A less terrible rejection, but rejection all the same.

Daisy is watching me think, and can probably see the emotions change on my face because she moves to sit next to me.

"Sis, you don't even have to flat out tell him. Just leave him a clue! Some way of telling him how much you need him by your side. I'm sure that's subtle enough without making it, like, awkward or anything. He can take it however he wants, you know? And if he's smart, he'll take it for what it is."

I think about her words again, and I start to form some ideas. The hopefulness is coming back, but I don't try to fight it off. This might actually be a good idea.

"Well, okay. I suppose writing something cryptic to him wouldn't hurt…" I ponder, still considering the idea. Daisy claps her hands together in joy.

"Yay! My little sis is going to get herself a boyfriend!" she cries, and hugs me. Within the same second, she is on her feet and skipping out of my room. "I'll leave you to craft your love letter!" she coos, and closes my door behind her.

Hours have gone by, I've reread my reply to him a million times trying to think of something to add to let him know how I feel. This is becoming harder than I expected…

My thoughts are interrupted by a clap of thunder in the distance; that's right, a thunderstorm is supposed to be rolling in from the coast. I turn off my desk lamp and move to my bed to watch the storm, when rain starts pounding against my window. I can't remember the last time it rained here, and I think about how much we've needed it; the town was becoming a bit dry and dead.

And then, it clicks in my mind. The simplest thing I could put into words to him just to get him thinking. I quickly run over to my desk and switch the light on, pull a blank sheet of paper from my drawer and grab my calligraphy pen. I print the words carefully in the middle of the page, trying my best to make them look fancy. And when I'm done, I fold it into the back of the letter and lick the envelope shut, rushing it out to the mailbox before I can second guess myself.

Daisy is right, I'm tired of waiting around. This is for the best.

* * *

><p>This was the worst idea ever.<p>

It's been almost a month, and I haven't heard back from him. All I have done since I sent that letter is worry and panic, thinking maybe I have ruined our friendship and he wants nothing more to do with me. I've cursed Daisy many times for this ridiculous plan.

As I have countless days before, I'm watching out the window for the mailman. I feel so silly when I see him come by and drop our mail in the mailbox and rush out there like a little girl, but I can't help it. Yet after each passing day since the letter, I've become less enthusiastic about mail, and have resorted to letting my sisters retrieve it instead. Every day they walk in the door with no news, my heart sinks further.

Today when I see him walk up, my heart skips a beat. Lily is in the kitchen, and I let her know he's come by; like a routine, she drops what she's doing and heads out the front door.

Like waiting for bad news in an emergency room, I curl up and hold my breath. I jump a little when I hear the front door burst open and see a frantic Lily rushing towards me.

"Misty! It's here!" she's yelling, waving a letter around in the air. My heart starts pounding as she hands me the letter, and I study the names carefully. Sure enough, it's addressed to "Misty Waterflower", with the return address from "Ash Ketchum". Without a word, I leave Lily in the room alone in return to read alone in my bedroom.

I sit on my bed and continue to stare at it, opening it carefully and slowly. I pull the pages from the envelope, and unfold them to read. As my eyes scan the words, I'm not noticing anything out of the norm; it's the same as all the rest, just catching up and telling stories. My eyes start to tear up as I near the end, and I find an extra page. I'm shocked when I unfold it… It's my calligraphy message. The very one I sent to him.

_A Day Without You_

_Is Like A Year Without Rain_

He sent it back… What is that supposed to mean? He must not feel the same; this must be his form of rejecting me…

Tears are falling uncontrollably from my eyes as I fold the page back up to put away, when I notice something written on the backside of it. Curious, I unfold it once more and my heart skips when I read the words.

_There's Gonna Be A Monsoon_

_When I Get Back To You_

The words are similar to mine, written in calligraphy, but they are shaky and messy; Ash never was very artistic. My heart continues to pound as read them over and over, I'm unsure how to interpret them.

I hear a faint knock at my door, and it opens to reveal my sisters. They appear worried, and all rush in when they see my tear-soaked face.

"Oh, Misty! Don't worry, if he ever shows his face around here again, we'll kill him!" Violet promises.

"No one breaks our little sister's heart without dealing with us!" Lily adds.

I'm still too choked up and confused to reply to any of their sisterly threats, but luckily Daisy grabs the page from my hand.

"What did he say to you?" I watch them all crowd around to read the page, flipping it over and over to understand the message. Daisy holds up the side I had written, confused. "Didn't you send this to him?" I nod, and she flips it over again. "And what is this, then?"

"Well, I'm not exactly sure… That's the original page I had sent to him, and I got upset when I saw he sent it back… But I flipped it over and he had written that. I'm not sure what to think…"

Before I even have time to start crying again, the three of them start giggling and screaming with joy, and then they are around me again.

"Sis, this is amazing! This is the sort of response you were wanting!" Daisy gushes. "Oh my gosh, just wait until he finally comes back, this is so exciting!"

It's hard for me to fully grasp this new information with all the squealing in my ear, so I usher them out of my room so I have some time alone to think. I lock the door just in case.

I find my way back to my bed and curl up, the page still in my hands. I read it over and over, still in disbelief that Ash Ketchum was able to decipher my message _and_ come up with something like this as a reply. It's almost too good to be true… Unless Brock helped him. It's the only way.

Rain starts pattering on my window, with thunder rumbling far in the distance; it's almost like a sign of assurance. Like I need to believe that all my waiting has finally paid off.

I place the page Ash-side up on my nightstand and pull the covers up to my shoulders, waiting to drift to sleep.

I can't wait for the monsoon.

* * *

><p>AN: Harrr, it's super corny. I know.

THE SONG! _A Year Without Rain_ by Selena Gomez. Listen to it, watch the vid. I love her, she's adorable.

Find the art in my gallery at spirit-the-titan on DeviantART! If it's not in there when you read this, just keep checking back. It will be soon! Thanks for reading!


	2. I Love You Always Forever

_**2. I Love You (Always Forever)**_

Clouds of dust clear from my line of vision, and I smile a crooked smile. I knew this kid didn't have a chance.

"Winner: Gym Leader Ash!" I hear the referee call, and I walk to meet my opponent in the middle of the mess.

"It was a good go, maybe next time?" I reassure him, shaking hands. He sighs.

"Yeah, that's what you said last time…"

"No worries, you'll get it someday!"

He gathers his fainted Pokémon and leaves the gym, and I watch the cleaning crew get to work fixing the place up before the next match. I scan the area for the manager, and when she's not in sight, I take my opportunity to sneak out the back. I casually stroll out, still watching for anyone who might try and drag me back to work, and then make a run for it.

Playing hooky is always worth it.

I race towards the docks where I know she likes to hang out at this time of day, and I slow my pace a little; it's a half mile to get there, and I doubt she would like me covered in sweat.

It's not long before the water is in sight, and soon enough I see Misty sitting at the dock, fishing rod in hand. I have to stop for a moment and admire her; she's so beautiful, it always takes my breath away. She's like a dream.

She hasn't noticed me yet, so I walk carefully until I'm behind her.

"Hey…" Her head spins around in shock.

"Ash? What are you doing here right now, don't you have challengers?" She looks a little angry at me, but I can only smile.

"I snuck away to see you, I thought you'd like that," I tease, and offer her my hand. She takes it and I pull her close, watching her face melt from anger to desire. Before she has time to say anything more about my ditching, I run my fingers through her hair and pull her face to meet mine in an amazing kiss.

When we break for air, she pushes me onto the ground.

"You're a jerk, Ash," she says with a smile on her face. "There's probably a line of kids wanting to challenge you for a badge, and you aren't even there!"

"Let 'em line up, they can wait," I say as I pull her down on top of me. "I'd rather be right here with you forever than go back."

"I'd like to know what your definition of 'forever' is…" she says, brushing her lips against mine. What a tease.

"You know, forever. Always. Until Dialga says 'no more'." I try to lean up to kiss her, but she backs away playfully.

"If Dialga says time ends, then that's not forever. Forever is even after time ends. I don't think you mean it," she insists, but I don't really hear it. I'm lost in her eyes.

"You've got the most unbelievable blue eyes I've ever seen…" I whisper, and she blushes at the unexpected compliment. She smiles and rests her forehead against mine.

"You're gonna make me melt away…"

"I love you, Misty," I tell her, and she sighs contently.

"Say it again…"

"I love you, always and forever… By whatever definition you want." We smile at my joke, and get lost in each other's eyes for a moment. My heart starts beating a little faster…

I move my hand from her back and reach into my pocket, rummaging around a little. I've been waiting around with this thing in my pocket for some time, trying to think of the perfect moment. This might be my chance.

She gasps when my hand emerges, clasping her hands over her mouth. I know she's overjoyed at what I'm about to ask her, but I'm still so nervous I can barely speak.

"Misty, will you stay with me forever?" I manage, my voice cracking a bit. I don't think she notices, as she has started tearing up and nodding frantically.

We sit up facing each other, and I take her left hand and slide the ring on the appropriate finger. Immediately, she lunges forwards and wraps her arms around me. She pulls away slightly only to kiss me, and it makes my heart ache with happiness.

"I love you Ash, always and forever…" she whispers against my lips, and I kiss her again.

No one's going to take me away from this moment.

* * *

><p>(AN:) A short one, but fluffy! I don't think I care for it very much. :/

SONG: I Love You (Always Forever) by Donna Lewis. I have loved this song forever!

Expect art soon!


	3. Tonight

**3. Tonight**

Tonight was supposed to be a fun night out; a reunion of sorts, as it had been years since any of them had been together. It was all Dawn's idea, she was the one who's into these types of gatherings. Not that any of them were opposed.

The six of them agreed to meet at Latios Lounge, a popular club near Goldenrod City in Johto- it was the most central place in proximity to each of their locations. And as the night neared, they each prepared accordingly, excitement and anticipation building each second.

It was going to be memorable.

* * *

><p>Brock was the first to arrive, which was usual. He waited near the entrance, eagerly checking his watch and phone for any word of the others. His apparent impatience was more due to excitement, both for seeing his friends and the opportunity to get into this club. He knew the types of girls who came here, and he wasn't about to give up his old habits.<p>

"Brock, hey!" he heard a voice call, and looked up from his phone to see May running towards him, Max in tow. "Oh my gosh, I can't believe we're all coming back together again!" she exclaims, throwing her arms around him when he's in reach.

"I know, it's been too long! Hey Max, long time!" he offers his hand and pulls the boy into a hug. "Jeez kid, you've definitely grown up!"

"Heh, yeah, and still growing," he said nervously, pushing his glasses up on his nose. "I mean, you'd think a 17-year-old would stop getting taller, right?"

They laughed and talked amongst the three of them, until some time later Brock spotted a familiar head of hair coming their way.

"Well, if it isn't the illusive Misty Waterflower!" he called, catching her attention. She smiled and rolled her eyes at his teasing. When she was closer, he rushed to give her a hug.

"Hi Brock," she said softly, gripping him tight. She was smiling wide with joy in her eyes, despite her somber tone.

"It's been way the hell too long, kid. You're a hard one to convince to come out and play!" he continued to tease, and she rolled her eyes again.

"You know my many situations, and it's hard to make time to get away sometimes. I don't see how you manage so often."

"Misty!" May rushed up behind Brock, stealing the girl away from him and into a hug. "I've missed you so much! How are you? You look great!"

"Thanks May, so do you!" The brunette appeared flattered, when deviousness replaced the gleam in her eyes.

"Seriously, you look hot. Are you dressed up for a special reason...?" she pried, clearly suggesting something.

"Oh please, no. I'm so over... that." She looked as though she had more to add, when her thoughts were interrupted by loud shrieks.

"Oh my gosh, Dawn!" May screamed, leaving Misty's side to run to the blue-haired girl. The two collided into a pair of hugging, jumping, screaming girls.

"I didn't know they were so close," Misty said to Brock, watching the reunion unfold before them.

"Yeah, I guess they've gotten really close the past couple years."

There was silence, and May and Dawn joined the rest of the group. More greetings were had, more teasing, until a speculation was made.

"Where's Ash, shouldn't he be here?" Dawn asked, looking around the crowd.

"Yes, but he's probably taking his sweet time getting here. I say we go ahead and go in, this place is starting to get busy," Brock proposed, and the group made their way inside the club.

Latios Lounge was booming- lights were dim with the exception of brightly colored spotlights moving around, and the interior was designed very modernly. Upon walking in, the lounge area was to the right, chic couches and tables grouped together as seating arrangements. To the left was an elaborate dance floor, complete with strobe lights and a checkerboard floor, with various squares lighting up. In between the two was a full-circle bar, with service to either side. The place was currently very loud and very busy.

"Let's go dance, May!" Dawn tugged on the girl's arm, who easily obliged. Max decided to follow, intentions to dance with Dawn very high on his priority list.

"I guess we should find a place to sit, before they're all gone," Brock yelled over the music, and Misty followed him.

Fortunately they found a decent sized table in the back, almost having to fight another group for it. A waitress came over when they sat down, asking for a drink order.

"I'll have a scotch on the rocks, and the lady will have..."

"Ah, vodka-cranberry for now, please." The waitress, without writing a thing down,

nodded and took off to the bar. "Have you heard from Ash yet?"

"Not yet, but I sent him a text to let him know where we are," Brock assured, and scooted closer to the redhead to hear her better. "Are you nervous to see him or something? You've seemed tense all night."

"Well, something like that," she said, trying her hardest to talk loud enough. "I mean, it's not like I haven't heard from him in a long time, we talk regularly. I just haven't... seen him in a long time. I'm not sure if it will be different."

"I don't think you have anything to worry about, Misty. You guys are best friends- ah, speak of the devil!"

Misty's attention was directed to the door, where she spotted a familiar figure standing in the doorway, looking around. Brock stood up and waved frantically until Ash saw him, and made his way to their table.

"Hey guys!" Ash said enthusiastically, hugging Brock. Misty watched his face gleam, but didn't yet move from her seat to greet him. "Misty... wow, you look good," he said loudly, pulling her up into a brief hug. "So, where's the other three?"

"Already on the dance floor, I'm sure they'll come check soon to see if you're here," Brock explained, just as he and Misty's drinks arrived.

"Can I get you anything?" the waitress asked Ash.

"Let's start off with Jack and Coke," he said cooly, leaning back into the couch next to Misty. At this uncharacteristic action of his, Misty quickly took a big gulp of her drink.

By the time Ash's drink arrived, the other three had since returned from the dance floor to greet him. Three drinks later, he suggested they return to the dance floor. Everyone obliged, except for Misty and Brock.

"Ash's become... quite a drinker, hasn't he?" Brock finally asked Misty, who was finishing up her second drink.

"Not so much that, as a big partier. It's like a constant party since his big win, and his turning 21 certainly hasn't helped..." She paused, swirling the ice in her empty glass. "He's been doing some pretty stupid shit since he's been traveling on his own."

"Damn, I had no idea. I thought it was all bullshit rumors in the tabloids..."

"Sadly, no. He's confided in me a few of his shenanigans, I don't think he knows how badly they hurt me." The sight of Ash dancing with a few random girls catches her attention. "He's certainly forming a reputation amongst fangirls..." She is relieved when the waitress brings her a third drink, and she downs another large gulp.

"Let's get out there and dance," Brock suggests, placing his empty glass on the table. "It'll help get your mind off of him."

Misty hesitated, but gave in.

"Alright. Why not, I can find some random hottie to dance on, I don't need to be thinking about Ash." She stumbles getting up, and Brock helps her down to the dance floor.

"I hope it's not me you have in mind, 'cuz I've had my eye on a blonde beauty across the dance floor..." Misty rolls her eyes, shaking her head furiously.

"No Brock, I don't know who. Just... go hit on the girl."

With Brock gone, Misty was left alone on the outskirts of the dance floor, drink in hand. She sipped it, trying to keep balance on her rather high heels, scanning the floor for someone to dance with. As the song changed, she noticed Ash leave his swarm of girls in turn to make his way to the bar for yet another drink. When his new drink was in hand, he spotted Misty watching him, and made his way over.

"Will you dance with me?" he asked her, and she was inwardly surprised at how sober he sounded. She scoffed.

"You mean with you, or you and your groupies?" she spat, and then became embarrassed at how she slurred her words.

"You're a mean drunk," he teased, showing no sign of hurt at her insult. "With me, Mist. Just me."

She wanted to, she knew it. And despite her better judgement knowing she shouldn't, the inebriation got the best of her.

"Whatever, sure." She downed the rest of her drink and placed the empty glass on the bar. She watched Ash do the same, and offer his hand.

As she followed him to the center of the dance floor, the whole situation became perverse and wrong to her, yet... exciting. She knew no good would come from spending this sort of intimate time with Ash Ketchum, but she was curious about his corrupted little world.

The two danced amongst others, moving their bodies to the music. He moved his hands to her hips, pulling her body closer to his, and as hard as she tried to glare at him, she couldn't help it; she wanted it to happen. The walls she was trying to build around her heart for so many years were quickly coming undone.

Before her mind gave her body consent, she had turned around, her back now against his chest. She grinded against him, and he pulled her even closer.

"You're so damn pretty..." he purred in her ear, sending chills down her spine. "Will you keep an open mind for me?"

She was wary of this unusual question, but her curiosity once again got the best of her.

"Regarding what...?"

"Here's the situation..." he began, and the alcohol had become more apparent in his voice. "I've been to every region in the Pokemon world, and I've never met anyone who makes me feel the way that you do..."

Her heart began to flutter, causing her stomach to turn to knots.

"And, given my reputation, you might guess my intentions when I asked you to dance..."

Her head started to spin. Is he asking her what she thinks he is...?

"So I don't mean to be rude, but... would you go home with me tonight?"

She spun around to face him, fully intending to be angry and appauled, but... seeing the desire in his eyes made her melt inside.

"You want to throw our friendship away in return for a one night stand with me...?" she whispered, trying to regain her footing since they'd stopped dancing. She wanted this, but not at these consequences. Ash picked up on the hurt in her voice.

"Mist, I know how I am... But I would never do that to you. If we do this, I want to see where it could go..." he explained, a sly smirk growing on his face. "I'm getting kinda lonely living this life."

And that was all it took. Misty had listened to him with glazed eyes, hanging on every word. Even if she wasn't so positively sure that his words were genuine, she would have bought it like many of his fangirls have. She leaned into him clumsily, pressing her mouth against his. And like an old pro, he made up for her clumsiness with his swift, passionate and heated kiss.

The situation still seemed perverse to Misty, but she welcomed the feeling; she had never done anything like this before. And the mix of loud music, low lights and the feeling of Ash pressed against her, wanting her... She almost couldn't take it. She broke the kiss, and one look was enough to let him know it was time to go, now.

A quick explanitory text to Brock and the others, who were still somewhere on the dance floor, and they were on their way to a hotel.

* * *

><p>(an): Yeeee, third one! Sorry for the small lag on this one, I've been doing some moving around. And it might be a week or two before the art is up!

The song... Tonight by Enrique Iglesias! One of my favorites~

R&R and enjoy!


	4. Bad Romance

**A/N:** I'm going to make a disclaimer for this one so I don't get busted for anything.. XD;; This particular one-shot is rated M for sexy times, and Ash and Misty are over 18 (19 and 20 to be exact).

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><p><strong>4. Bad Romance<strong>

* * *

><p>"Why do you think you <em>always<em> have to be _right_?"

She clutched the thick book in her hands until her knuckles turned white, fire burning in her eyes. What were they even fighting about anymore? It didn't matter; she was still angry enough to yell and curse at him. Emotions unspoken swirled around in the pit of her stomach, and she watched his expression change to that of shock.

"_Me_ being _right_? Hah! You're 'always right', Misty! You always have to one-up me!"

He had even made the air quotes to mock her, which only made her more furious. He side-stepped just in time, as the giant book went whizzing by his head.

"Don't be _stupid_, Ash!" she growled, fists now clenched by her sides. "I never try to one-up you! If you could ever get your facts straight, we would never have to _fight_!"

"See? There you go again about being right! How do you know _you_ ever have your facts straight?"

"That's not what this conversation is about, Ash!"

"_Isn't_ it though? It's what they're _all_ about! Who's right and who's wrong! Or do you just like to be a _bitch_ all the time?"

That had been the last straw.

Like an enraged bull, Misty walked briskly up to Ash and slapped him across the face.

"Ne me parle pas comme ça," she told him in a hushed voice. The fire was still alight in her eyes. Ash saw this, and although he could tell she was seriously angry now, he wasn't done provoking her.

"_Sorry_, I don't speak _French_," he muttered sarcastically, though he had a very good idea of what she said. "Talk to me how you would talk to your friends!"

"Je ne veux pas d'être amis!" she yelled, shoving him for his sarcastic remark, and she turned to storm away.

"Speak _English_, damn it!"

"I don't _want_ to be friends!" she turned around and yelled, face twisted in rage and tears in her eyes. Ash was taken aback by her hurtful words, but knew better than to show it.

"Then what _do _you want, Misty? What do you _want_ from me?" he asked her, frustrated. He was afraid of where this was going.

She was silent for a moment, the expression on her face changing from rage to completely blank.

"You're sick, Ash."

"_Excuse_ me?" he asked, anger sparking in his heart once again.

"You're sick, and you're vengeful and psychotic... Always surrounded by drama... And you can be such a criminal..." she listed, staring him down with an unknown expression.

"How the hell am I a _criminal_?" Ash wondered out loud, never receiving an answer.

"And you can act so _ugly_ sometimes!" Misty concluded, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. Ash stared at her, half offended by her list of apparent traits of his, half confused by them. "And..."

"And _what_, Misty? What other horrible things do you think I am?"

"And that's what I want!" she spat, her temper clearly back in place. But now Ash was the bewildered one.

"What do you mean, '_that's what you want'_? You just listed a bunch of awful things, Misty, you're not making any sense!"

"You're such a blind asshole, _Ash_! Je veux ton amour!"

"There you go with that French bullshit-"

"I want _you_! For what you are and in spite of what you can be!"

There was silence again, and the relief that washed over Misty was soon replaced by regret. He stood there, the strangest of expressions on his face; it was as if he were trying to make sense of it all. He broke the silence with a scoff.

"This is so like you, admitting your feelings for me while insulting me at the same time," he said snidely, and anger bubbled in Misty's chest.

Without a word, she shot him a meaningful glare and turned for the door.

"Misty- hold on-" Ash said after her, walking briskly across the room and grabbed her arm, effectively turning her around. In fear she would still try to leave, he held her firmly by the shoulders.

Angry, tearful eyes bore holes into his head.

"Look, you can be a real bitch- hey!" -she had tried to angrily wriggle her way out of his grasp at this comment, but he held her there- "Listen to me! You can be a bitch sometimes, and ma-maybe even all those things you called me..." He trailed off, and his face flushed for reasons unbeknownst to Misty, and he let out a frustrated sigh. "Fuck words."

Very quickly and heatedly, Ash pressed his lips against hers, pulling her in deep by the back of her head. Just as quickly, Misty responded to the kiss- no hesitation- and tried to deepen it more. Soon, hands were all over each other, trying to bring the other one even closer, and Ash was taking off the zipped sweater she was wearing. When it fell to the ground, his hands found their way to the back of her thighs, and he lifted her legs around his torso and carried her to the nearest chair.

Her position became straddled across his lap once he sat down, their lips never parting from the other's. His hands traveled from her legs up her back, catching the hem of her shirt along the way and pulling it up over her head. Misty soon did the same to him, and she only hesitated to continue kissing him when she felt him fingering her bra clasp.

"Ash... i-is this okay? I don't want to push it too far..." she whispered, and her heart fluttered when he looked at her hungrily.

"Yes..." was all he said, and her head spun at the sound of his husky voice. Her kiss was approval to him, and then her bra joined the rest of the clothes on the floor.

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** I'm... at a stand-still with this one. I feel like it shouldn't end there, but at the same time it ends nicely without having to go into the nasty details (not that I mind writing them .)... Can someone give me some input on if I should add more or leave it as is?

Anyway, the song is obviously Bad Romance by Gaga. XD

Enjoy, and thanks for reading! Next one will be up after the art for this one is done~


	5. Last Friday Night

**A/N:** This one had to be done... I couldn't help myself! I love these stories where they are just crazy wild kids having fun, it makes them more real to me! Anyway, ages are 21 (May and Drew), 23 (Ash), 24 (Misty) and 27 (Brock). I'm going to slap an M rating on this one, just as a precaution... Some pretty naughty things happen in this one! Enjoy~

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><p><strong>5. Last Friday Night<strong>

* * *

><p>"Damn..." Ash groaned as he sat up in his bed... or what he thought was his bed. He had an outrageous headache and as his eyes focused, he realized he didn't know where he was. As he scanned the room, he noticed a few key things: he wasn't sure whose room he was in, there were people he didn't know passed out on the floor, and he wasn't alone in the bed.<p>

Oh no... No no no... he panicked mentally, suddenly becoming very awake. He had to get out unseen, he didn't want to be spotted leaving by people he didn't know.

As carefully as he could, he crawled out of the bed and made his way to the door, stepping over bodies as he went. But when he got outside the door, he realized he had more sneaking to do, as there were about two dozen more people passed out around the rest of the house.

The only one he recognized was Misty, who lay sprawled out on top of a table.

Panic settled in his stomach again; did he wake her and they sneak away together? Or should he just leave her there alone? It was too much to decide with his headache throbbing behind his eyes. An idea sparked in his head, and he patted his pockets to make sure he had his cell phone.

Brock would have some answers for him.

Ash found his way into an empty room- a difficult feat, he soon found- and quickly dialed Brock's number. He paced around the small closet as he waited for his friend to answer.

"Hullo...?" Brock's groggy voice asked on the other end. Ash's heart skipped.

"Brock! Hey, uh, I have a problem..." he started.

"Ash? What the hell man, it's too early... What do you need?"

Ash started to speak, until he realized he had no idea which of his hundred questions was most important.

"...What the hell happened last night?" he asked after a brief pause, and he heard Brock sigh.

"I had a feeling you wouldn't remember. You must still be there."

"Yeah, I don't even know where I am, and the only person I recognize is Misty."

"Not surprised. You two crashed a party, or so I was told."

"WHAT?" Ash yelled, slapping a hand over his mouth when he realized he didn't want to wake anyone. He wanted to ask Brock if he was joking, but his current location was proof enough. "Oh god, I don't even remember... Anything! I don't remember anything that happened!" Brock paused over the line, contemplating if he should say what was on his mind.

"Lucky for you, I think I know just about everything that happened," he informed him, saying the words cautiously. He still wasn't sure if telling the events would be of benefit to anyone.

"...Well?" Ash asked expectantly.

"'Well' what?"

"What happened? Was it awesome? The last thing I remember was being at the bar..."

"I will let you be the judge of that..."

* * *

><p><em>"Waitress! One round of shots, please!" Drew yelled, already feeling the effects of his whiskey. Misty whipped her head around to glare at him.<em>

_"Are you crazy? We don't need shots!" she scolded. "Some of us have work in the morning!"_

_"You're not one of those people, why do you care?" Drew retorted, sneering. "Besides, it's just one round!"_

_"It's okay Misty, one round won't kill me," Brock laughed. "But thanks for being concerned that I make it to work tomorrow." Misty rolled her eyes._

_"C'mon, just let loose," Ash nudged her with his elbow teasingly. "It'll be fun. Shots are fun." He followed with a swig of his beer._

_"I've just... I've never done shots. I'm nervous. You know I don't drink that often." She stared shyly at her glass of vodka-cranberry. She was trying to hide from them that she was already feeling tipsy. "I don't want to get... crazy."_

_"You won't get crazy from one round, you'll be fine!" May persuaded. Misty didn't find her very credible though, as May had done her fair share of partying._

_The waitress brought the rounds over on a tray and passed them around. Each one came with a lemon._

_"What's the lemon for? What did you order us?" May asked Drew, who was excitedly preparing himself._

_"This is called the Chocolate Cake shot. I don't know what's in it, but you're supposed to bite the lemon after you take the shot. That's what makes it taste like a chocolate cake," he explained. "Are you guys ready?"_

_"What should we toast?" Brock asked as everyone prepared themselves._

_"To Misty's first shot!" Ash suggested, raising his glass. Misty rolled her eyes._

_"To Misty!" The rest of them said, and nearly in unison they tapped their glasses on the table and threw the liquid contents down their throats. Quickly and uncoordinatedly, they all bit their lemons._

_"That's so weird!" Ash said with the lemon still in his mouth. "It really does taste like chocolate cake!" Misty made a sour face before and after biting her lemon, finding the mysterious alcoholic content of the shot very strong._

_"That was gross! It didn't taste like cake at all!" she insisted. Her head was beginning to spin._

_"You didn't do it right, then! We need to get more!" Drew teased, and Misty glared at him again._

_"Waitress! One more round!" Ash yelled in the same manner Drew had, and Misty spun around- which she immediately regretted- and scolded him._

_"Ash! No!" But the waitress had already filled the order. Misty shoved him as he downed the last of his beer, and he turned to smile at her. She noticed his eyes looked how she felt._

_"Misty, you're being a buzz-kill. Just chill out and drink with us. I promise you will have so much more fun."_

_She slumped over for a moment, defeated and in thought. Then, sitting straight up with a newfound attitude, she grabbed her glass and downed the rest of the contents._

_"Alright, bring it on. Prove to me that I can have fun, Ash," she challenged. May, Drew and Brock exchanged glances._

_"Challenge accepted," Ash said slyly, and the waitress arrived with round two. _

* * *

><p>"... And after a couple more drinks, the two of you went with Drew and May to continue the night, and I went home."<p>

"I think I remember most of that... But if we left sober enough to know we wanted to continue partying, where did we get more alcohol to think that it was a good idea?" Ash asked, wracking his brian for the lost memories.

"I can't tell you exactly, because the rest of the night I know through cryptic, drunk texts and pictures."

"Pictures?" Ash exclaimed, his heart sinking. "We sent you pictures?"

"Unfortunately. I've seen some things that I wish I hadn't..." Ash blushed at the thought of what his friend had seen, and slapped his hand to his face in embarrassment.

"So what happened next? What did I send?"

"Well, I'm positive you guys went to another bar. You sent me a picture of the four of you with shots."

* * *

><p><em>"Hey, can you take our picture?" Ash asked the guy sitting next to them at the bar. He tried his hardest not to slur, but it happened anyway. The guy grinned widely, laughing at the current state of the strangers he was photographing.<em>

_"Okay, do an awesome pose!" he told them, backing up so the four of them were in frame. On cue, they raised their glasses and yelled in excitement. There was a brief flash from Ash's phone, and the picture was saved. The guy walked it over to them and handed the phone, asking if it was worth keeping._

_"Thanks man!" Ash thanked him, and they resumed their place at the bar._

_"Bartender! Hit us again!" Misty requested, slurping the rest of her drink through a straw._

_"No way kids, I'm cutting you off!" he said, eyeing them warily. _

_"Oh come on, you're getting money from us!" Drew whined. "Just one more round!"_

_"I'm also getting money to make sure people like you make it out of my bar alive, so I'm cutting you off!" the bartender insisted, growing short._

_"Not cool, man! If we're paying, you should give us what we ask for!" Drew continued, slurring heavily. A burly man tapped him on the shoulder, and he whipped around too fast, nearly falling out of his seat._

_"I think it's time for you guys to go," the man, clearly the bouncer, told them. _

_"But we aren't done yet...!" Drew argued._

_"It wasn't a suggestion, punk. Get out before I call the cops."_

_Drew looked like he wanted to take on the bouncer, but May tugged on his elbow to leave. Ash and Misty quickly help usher him out the door, the bouncer hovering over them until the door closed behind them._

_"Way to go, Drew! You got us kicked out! Now what are we supposed to do?" Ash growled. "Everywhere else is probably serving last call by now!"_

_" 's okay, I have an idea...!" Drew slurred, and they followed him down the street._

* * *

><p>"I don't know how much of the second bar I remember that wasn't actually memories of the first bar... But I'm pretty sure we got kicked out." Ash muttered, and Brock scoffed.<p>

"Probably the doings of Drew."

"Well it wasn't me. I don't know what we did after that... But I think that was also the doings of Drew."

"Well whosever idea it was, you guys stumbled your way to a 24-hour liqueur store."

"How do you know that?"

"Because the next picture was of you, Drew and Misty pretending to drink out of full bottles of alcohol," he explained. "I can't imagine any other place open that late that sells alcohol."

"Oh no... We left there with a bottle of Jack, I know that for sure..." Ash said remorsefully. "Between the four of us, it was gone pretty quickly..."

"I'm just surprised you guys found your way to that park."

"What park?" Ash asked in shock. He did not remember a park. Brock sighed.

"I got a series of very interesting pictures from the park... And from someone's pool?"

* * *

><p><em>"Drew, I don't think you really know where this party is!" May nagged, wrapping her arm around Drew's waist as they walked. They were both having a hard time walking straight.<em>

_"Who cares, let's just hang out in this park and finish off that Jack," Ash suggested, sitting in the grass. The other three stopped walking as well and joined him._

_"We already finished the Jack," Drew informed him, carefully laying on the grass. "And we will find our way to that party."_

_"Who's party is it again?" Misty asked, mindlessly resting herself against Ash._

_"I have no idea. I just overheard some people discussing it at the liqueur store..."_

_"Drew! You were going to take us to crash a party?" May scolded, though her tone didn't sound very convincing._

_"Hey, if we're showing Misty a good time, that's the best thing to do!" he defended, and May was about to scold him more when Misty interrupted._

_"Sounds fun to me! Luckily I'm already wearing my best party clothes," she said, and Ash suddenly stood and helped her up._

_"Well then let's find this place, I think my buzz is wearing off."_

_"I know it's in this neighborhood, let's just hop some fences until we hear a party going on," Drew suggested, and surprisingly no one challenged his idea. _

_The four of them stumbled through the darkness, walking along the fences of people's houses they didn't know, and laughing at things that weren't very funny. A sound caught Misty's attention, and she stopped. She was staring at the fence next to her when the other's stopped to investigate the issue._

_"What's wrong, Mist?" Ash slurred._

_"These people have a pool! Can we go for a swim?" she plead to the group._

_"But I wanna get to the party..." May whined, and Drew shook his head enthusiastically in agreement._

_"But this is the one bad thing I've always wanted to do!" Misty continued, and Ash sighed._

_"I have an idea, why don't you two find the party and I will stay with Misty so she can swim in a stranger's pool. Will you text us when you find it?" he offered, and Drew thought for a moment._

_"Okay, that works. You two be good," he added as they turned to leave, and he made the 'I'm watching you' gesture as they walked off. _

_Ash turned to help Misty hop the fence, but found her already scaling the surface and hoisting herself over in a very uncoordinated manner. He heard a light 'thud' on the other side of the fence as she landed, and he followed her over._

_He caught a glimpse of her taking her heels off as she padded lightly to the edge of the pool, and stick her toes in to test the temperature. It was difficult to see in the dim light, especially since his eyes were already very unfocused, and he nearly tripped over her discarded heels as he made his way next to her. Then she started to take her shirt off._

_"Whoa, whaddya doing?" he asked in shock, and she looked at him with a knowing look._

_"Um, we're skinny dipping...?" she told him matter-of-factly. "We don't have swimsuits, and I don't want to get my clothes wet."_

_"O-okay... I've never done this before," he mentioned, lifting his shirt over his head._

_"Neither have I, but I've always wanted to," she informed him. "Turn away, I don't want you to see me!" she whispered, already in her underwear. He obliged, and slid off his pants. He heard a rippling in the water, signifying that she had gotten in. "Go ahead and take off your underwear, I'm not looking!"_

_Ash was thankful for the inebriation, because it made the act of taking off his boxers in a stranger's backyard seem like a good idea. When they fell to the ground, he eased himself into the water, wincing at the cold temperature. Misty turned around to stare at him with a coy smile on her face. Nearly five feet separated them from each other._

_"Isn't this exciting?" she trilled, keeping her voice as quiet as she could. Ash grinned at her excitement and rolled his eyes._

_"I'm cold, and it's making me sober. And the more sober I feel, the more I feel like this is a bad idea." Misty laughed at him, wading slowly closer._

_"Don't be a baby, you're the one who told me you were going to show me a good time. You don't think this is fun?" Ash broke eye contact with her to look around the yard, and waded cautiously closer to her._

_"It's not so much 'fun' as it is... nerve-wracking..." he offered, meeting her eyes again. _

_"Why are you nervous?" _

_"Well, we're naked, and we're alone in someone's pool... And we could get caught, naked and alone in someone's pool... People might get the wrong idea..."_

_"What kind of idea would they get, seeing two people alone and naked in a pool...?"_

_The two of them were right in front of each other now, being especially careful that they didn't accidentally touch the other as they waded. They never broke eye contact, as hard as it was to keep their vision focused._

_Slowly, Ash leaned forward and placed his lips gently against hers, leaning in closer when she didn't pull away. He was in the process of pulling her closer when a light flicked on in the house. In an instant, they broke away and stared in horror at the now lit house, and their hearts sunk when the light to the back door went on._

_"Run!" Ash yelled, and they scrambled out of the pool and gathered their clothes just as an older man came hurdling out the back door._

_"You damn kids! I'm calling the cops!" he bellowed as the two clumsily climbed the fence they had entered from. They could still hear his threats in the distance as they ran through the park, still fully naked._

_It wasn't much farther when they stopped, stomachs turning from the sudden intense movement. And when they stopped, it didn't take long for the two to realize they were still naked, and in much better lighting conditions than before. Misty shrieked when Ash looked at her with a triumphant smile._

_"Ash! Stop looking at me, we're still naked!" She did her best covering herself with the bundle of clothes in her arm, but had a hard time covering everything so she fled for cover._

_"It's not like I didn't get a good look at everything when you were climbing that fence!" he called after her, laughing, and put his own clothes on._

_When Misty rejoined him, Ash was staring at his phone; he had gotten a message._

_"Drew and May found that party, let's go!"_

* * *

><p>Ash tried his hardest to remember anything from a park or swimming pool, but couldn't seem to come up with anything familiar. This was becoming frustrating.<p>

"You think I would remember something from that event, I would have been sobering up by then!" he groaned. "What pictures did I send?"

"I'd rather you see them yourself than have me explain," Brock told him. "Here, let me send them to you."

There was silence, and Ash could hear Brock hitting buttons on his phone. A few seconds later, he heard quiet notifications from his phone that indicated he had received a message. Quickly, he opened them.

The first picture was of May and Drew sitting in what he assumed was the park, discussing something. The second picture made his heart skip, as he made out the contents to be his grinning face with a thumbs up, and Misty in the background over his shoulder, undressing and clearly unaware that she had been photographed. The next few were blurry streaks, but they were clear enough to tell that they were of a naked Misty running ahead of him in the park. Ash blushed, wondering why he thought taking pictures of Misty naked and unaware were a good idea.

"Oh dude... We have to delete all evidence of these. Misty will kill me if she sees them!" Ash insisted, when a thought hit him. "Oh no, did I send them to anyone else? I erased all my messages last night!"

"I have no idea man, that's your problem. But... did something happen in the pool? I got some weird jumbled text about how you will 'always remember skinny dipping'."

Ash thought for a moment, wracking his brain once more. Then a brief flash of memory crossed his mind, his heart skipped.

"I think we... kissed..." he mumbled slowly, trying to remember the moment and the sensation. Brock scoffed on the other end of the line.

"Oh, I know you two kissed, without a doubt. But it wasn't in the pool." Ash's heart skipped a few more beats.

"What? How do you know that?"

"Ash, do you know what a '_ménage à trois_' is?" Brock asked.

"Um... no?"

"Well, you had one. And I'm pretty jealous."

Ash tried to think of the meaning of the phrase, piecing in the fact that he kissed Misty and that Brock was jealous of this foreign thing that occurred. He couldn't come up with anything that he imagined was in character for him, and became a little concerned that it was something he would never do sober.

"Are there... pictures... of this happening?" he asked slowly, almost afraid to know what had truly happened.

"Only one, but it wasn't of 'the deed'. I only know what happened because you texted me, pretty excited about it," Brock explained. "This must've happened after you got to the party and had more to drink, because I don't see you doing anything this wild- let alone Misty- with even a slightly sober mind."

And once again, Ash found himself searching his mind for any fragment of a memory of the night before.

* * *

><p><em>The party was in full swing when Ash and Misty arrived, and had clearly been going on for some time by the look of most of the people there. The two held hands as they made their way through crowds of unfamiliar people, not wanting to get separated from each other. They searched faces for May or Drew, but settled happily for a group of people in the kitchen pouring shots. They were nearly sober, and wanted to join this party as quickly as possible.<em>

_Ash grabbed two shot glasses for them, and they ignored the group when they initiated the shots; they had their own toasting to do._

_"To your night of fun," he said in her ear, as it was nearly impossible to hear otherwise. They tapped glasses and downed the liquid, and then another round to reach the level of everyone else around them._

_The alcohol set in quickly, and they were ready to party._

_They explored the party for a while, still searching for May and Drew- who were eventually found making out in a corner- and had a hard time deciding what party activities to take part in. Misty watched Ash compete in a couple rounds of beer pong, sneaking away to dance when Ash's partner got sick all over the girl next to him._

_They danced together in a group of people who were in control of the music, playing loud, fast songs to keep the energy flowing. Misty danced against Ash and tried to keep pace with the music, being careful not to spill the glass in her hand. There were times that other girls came and danced with them, much to Ash's enjoyment, and Misty's jealousy set in. _

_So, to attract his attention back to her, she left his side and carefully climbed on top of a table, and continued to dance._

_The crowd of strangers found this exciting and began cheering her on, when one of the girls that had been dancing on Ash climbed up to join her. Feeling wild and brave, Misty danced against her to further capture Ash's attention. She noticed it working when he couldn't keep his eyes off of her._

_"Your boyfriend's hot," the girl told Misty. Misty's eyes shot to this suspicious girl; she had dark hair and dark eyes, and looked like someone who had done her fair share of unspeakable things._

_"He's not my boyfriend," Misty informed her. "But I know."_

_"Invite him up here, I want to dance with him," the girl continued. Misty glared at her, but obliged anyway. With the seductive gesture of her finger, Misty beckoned for Ash to join them, and he climbed onto the table in a heartbeat. He was sandwiched between the two girls, both of which were grinding against him._

_Ash kept steady eye contact with Misty, muddled memories flashing back from the pool incident that happened only two hours before. But his mind was drawn away from that suddenly when the other girl slid her hand down his leg and started kissing his neck. To respond, he reached a hand behind him and groped her butt. _

_However, Misty was oblivious to the things this girl was doing to Ash, and she leaned in and kissed him on the lips. All of this affection was very new to Ash, but he wasn't complaining at all; he was very drunk and two hot girls were kissing and dancing on him. Slyly, he stuck his hand in his jeans pocket and pulled out his phone. It seemed like a good idea to send a picture to Brock, for bragging rights._

_"Let's go somewhere private..." the girl behind him said in his ear. Ash did his best to turn around to look at her skeptically without Misty knowing. _

_But to his surprise, Misty started tugging him away with the very same look in her eyes. The other girl noticed this, and grabbed Ash's other arm to drag him alongside Misty to another room. Misty looked uncertainly at the girl, who seemed to capture Ash's attention just as easily as she could. Their eyes caught, and she gave Misty a reassuring grin._

_"I'm not stealing him from you... We can share," she said as they led Ash down a hall. For some reason, Misty thought this was a good idea. _

_Their minds became even more clouded with lust, making thinking seem like a difficult task, and actions happened without thought. The girl- Mina, she later revealed- pressed up against Ash in the middle of the hallway before they could find a private room, kissing his lips for the first time that night. Misty wanted to contribute as well, and started kissing along Ash's jaw and neck; he ran his hand down her back to her butt to give his approval. After a bit, he switched to kissing Misty. Mina took this opportunity to continue leading them to an empty room._

_They were lucky enough to find an empty bedroom in the partying house, but they took it for granted by not acknowledging this luck and falling onto the neatly made bed. Ash was positioned sitting between the two, Misty sitting between his legs as they kissed with Mina behind him, kissing him and running her hands down his body. She grabbed the hem of his shirt and lifted it over his head, and other articles of clothing didn't take long to fall off._

_"Are you sure... you're okay with this...?" he asked Misty, who was laying next to him as they kissed heatedly, with Mina lay on his other side kissing his neck and chest._

_Misty chose to reply by kissing her way down his stomach, which Mina chose to join in doing._

* * *

><p>"I did <em>WHAT<em>?" Ash exclaimed after searching the definition of the foreign word on his phone.

"Yes, and I'm very angry at you. Do you know all the years I've spent trying to make that happen for me? And you get drunk and crash a party, and bam- without even trying!" Brock complained, moping.

"Look, it's like you said; it's nothing I would have ever tried sober! I don't even know if I had a say in the matter!"

"What are you complaining about? It's like you wish it didn't happen!"

"Oh believe me, I'm very glad it happened! But not remembering a single minute of it isn't really helping me out, it's like it didn't happen at all! You don't even have details to tell me..." Ash whined, trying his hardest to remember the slightest memory of the event.

"Well, what's done is done. I didn't get any more texts or pictures after that, so I don't know what all happened after that. But I suggest you go rescue Misty from the sea of hungover strangers before she freaks out," Brock suggested, hinting for his friend to let him go.

"You're right... I wonder if she remembers anything... But thanks Brock, you've been a big help."

"No problem. Just promise next time you guys want to get wild and crazy, make sure it's on a night that I don't work the next morning!"

"Will do, man. See ya," Ash said, and hung up the phone.

He emerged from the tiny closet glad to find everyone as he left them: passed out around the house. Making his way to the sleeping Misty on the table, he wondered how things were going to be now that they were sober. Would she remember anything crucial from the night before, and if she didn't, should he fill her in? The uncertainty made him sick to his stomach.

Gently and carefully, he picked her up in his arms bridal style and scanned the area for anything that might belong to them before he made his way to the door. Suddenly, Misty stirred in her sleep, and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Ash...?" she mumbled, nuzzling into his neck.

"I'm here, Mist. How d'you feel?" They had successfully made it out of the house, when he realized he would have to call them a cab.

"A little sick, but I'm okay..."

"Well just take it easy, okay?" he suggested, then his heart leapt in his chest. "Do you, uh, remember anything?"

The moment she took to think about this question was agonizing for Ash. Surely if she remembered anything they had done _together_, she would kill him.

"I remember having a lot of fun," she said softly, and Ash let go of the breath he was holding. He was shocked, though, when she leaned up and kissed him. "Thank you for making it such a fun night."

"Sure thing... Let's do it again next Friday night...!"

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Well... the ending was cheesy. XD And some of it I'm still unsure of, but my husband gave me the green light to post it, so I hope everyone enjoyed it! Please, let me know if you think something should be added or changed! Thanks for reading~


	6. Time After Time

6. Time After Time

* * *

><p>"I don't know if I can do it anymore, Mist..."<p>

I look at him incredulously, not expecting this reaction. Is he giving up? He can't give up... He looks up at me when I don't respond, searching my face for an answer.

"Why would you say something like that, Ash?"

He sighs heavily, returning his gaze to the floor of my living room. This is something that has been bothering him for quite some time- it's not like Ash Ketchum, aspiring Pokemon Master, to give it all up after one disheartening experience. Because I know better than anyone that he's had his fair share of those.

"I just don't see the point of it anymore. I've seen so much hurt and violence in the world, usually with Pokemon on the receiving end... And Pikachu..." His voice cracks a little on the mouse's name and he buries his face in his hands, and I rush to sit by him on the couch and place an arm around his shoulder.

"Don't worry about Pikachu, he's going to be okay... Ash, you can't just give up, not now. You've seen a lot of Pokemon hurt by people, but you've also _saved _a lot of Pokemon from those situations. You're like a hero, what would they do if you hung up your cape?"

He looks up at me again, tears threatening to spill from his eyes. He has such a pained look in them, and the dark circles underneath further his look of distress. And without another word, he throws his arms around me and buries his face in my neck. I feel him choke back a sob, but I don't feel any tears.

I hold him for a little while, the only thing filling the silence is the ticking clock on my wall. His breathing is staggered, like he's fighting not to cry. I run my fingers through his messy hair- a trick I've used before to calm him down in similar situations. It seems to be working.

"I'm so lost, Misty..." he whines quietly from my shoulder. I continue to run my fingers through his hair.

"You'll get through this, you always do. And I've always been here for you, I will _always_ be here for you."

He takes a moment to readjust his position, facing me more while keeping his head rested on my shoulder. I can feel his breath across my neck.

"You're the only one who's ever seen me like this..." he admits.

"I know."

"You're my best friend- Please don't stop..."

"I'll never stop being your best friend-"

"No, I mean what you're doing with your fingers. Don't stop, it makes me feel better..."

I laugh lightly at this, and continue the action I had stopped. "I thought it might be irritating you. I know if someone does it to me long enough, it gets annoying."

"Do you think I'm weak when you see me cry...?"

"I think it makes you human, Ash. Boys are allowed to have emotions, too."

"I'm not a boy, I'm 22-years-old."

"Some might argue against that," I tease, and he scoffs with a slight smile.

"I don't know what to do... Tell me what I should do, please..."

I push him gently away from my shoulder and hold him in front of me, locking gazes with his sad eyes.

"Ash, when you wake up in the morning and the PokeCenter calls to tell you that Pikachu is perfectly okay, you're going to be just fine." He turns to avert his gaze, but I touch his face and bring his eyes back to mine. "You're going to see Pikachu again, and want to continue what you started. Even if you quit today, the desire to train and be a Master will always be in you, and you'll always find your way back to the journey."

"And if Pikachu doesn't make it... What then, Mist...?"

I am silent for a moment, pondering my answer carefully. The situation is so complicated, and he's in such a fragile state...

"We... We'll figure that out if that happens..." I offer, not knowing what else to say. I can't lie to him and say that it can't happen.

His expression slowly melts from somber to hurt, and finally the tears escape from his eyes. I do my best to wipe them away, but he falls into my arms again, letting the sobs shake his body. I can't help my emotions, and find tears falling from my eyes as well.

And now I'm the one who's lost, not knowing what to tell my best friend who traveled so far to see me, to seek comfort and advice, when _his_ best friend is hurt. It's not the first time this has happened, and I know it's not the last...

But I will always be here, time after time...

* * *

><p><strong>AN:** Sorry for such a long break between updates! I had a rough time figuring out what to do with this one... But it's the first platonic one of the series, and probably not the last! I thought it was sweet, nonetheless. C:

Song is Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper, if that wasn't obvious XD

Until next time~


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